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2014 Boston Gameday HQ

FIELDING
The Yankees didn’t display the strength in the field last season as they
had in the past. It was an issue in many games. To be fair, the Yankees
had a number of different lineups because of their litany of injuries. When
your offense is struggling, the defense needs to be strong. And that wasn’t
the case in 2013. Despite being an overrated glove man, Jeter’s return at
shortstop will help stabilize things with Johnson takung over for the departed
Cano at second. Having Teixeira back at first base also helps. Brian McCann
is a solid defensive catcher. Even with a veteran team like the Yankees, the
team will need to build chemistry in the field. It could take some time.
STARTING PITCHING
CC Sabathia clearly had a down season in 2013 going 14-13 with a
4.78 ERA. His control wasn’t nearly as sharp as in previous seasons. The
six-time All-Star and former Cy Young Award winner is due for a bounceback
season. Masahiro Tanaka (seven years, $155 million) will have
pressure every time out because of the gargantuan salary paid by the
Yankees. He has a full repertoire of pitches and could wind up being the
club’s ace. Don’t discount Hiroki Kuroda, who finished 11-13 with a 3.31
ERA last season. With some consistent run support, Kuroda could have
easily won five or six more games. Beyond the top three, there are some
question marks. Ivan Nova is coming off of his best season, and Michael
Pineda is finally healthy after a solid spring.
RELIEF PITCHING
This may be the biggest question mark on the club with the
retirement of future Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera. How can you replace
Rivera’s rock-solid late-inning dependability? You can’t. Hard-throwing
right-hander David Robertson, who has eight career saves, looks to be the
closer for now, but for the first time in 17 years, the ninth inning will be
a question mark for the Yankees. Shawn Kelley and Matt Thornton are in
the mix as well. Look for ever-improving Dellin Betances to provide some
depth in the bullpen. Managing the bullpen will be a challenge for Joe
Girardi since he doesn’t really know what to expect for now.
MANAGING
Girardi has 564 victories and a World Series in six successful seasons
as the Yankees’ manager. Last year’s 85 wins were the fewest in those six
seasons, and that was a ton of injuries. Imagine what Girardi can do with
a healthy club. He’s among the best and brightest managers in all of Major
League Baseball, and the pressure of performing in New York doesn’t
seem to faze him one bit. Managers always look better when the talent is
improved. That should be the case for the Yankees in 2014.
Masahiro Tanaka
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